Why is face care so important?

Cleanse Tone Exfoliate Moisturise

It’s easy when you pass your teens. You get rid of acne, your hormones get to standard levels and your face skin starts to clear up. If you follow our four simple rules you can keep beautiful young skin all through your twenties and thirties.

Balanced diet, hydration and protecting from sun and wind should be a part of your daily regimen. Once proper care becomes a habit it won’t be a bore anymore, but remember, if you want to have lovely skin, you have to work on it!

Cleanse
Cleansing your face is a must to avoid acne and remove your makeup. You should wash your face at least twice a day. In the morning to get rid of oils that built up overnight and in the evening to get rid of makeup. Find a mild cleanser or a soap that won’t irritate your skin, rinse thoroughly and wipe the water off with a clean towel.

Tone
Many women skip toners in their daily routine, which is a big mistake. Toner cleans the face further, cools it down, hydrates and nourishes. It also closes the pores and tightens the skin. Use an alcohol free toner.

Exfoliate
Remove dead skin cells at least once in two weeks, but not more than twice a week. You can get rid of small wrinkles this way and give your face an extra fine glow.

Moisturising
You should use a daily moisturiser, and a sun block as well. Avoid putting the moisturiser around your eyes; you should use a special eye cream for that purpose because the skin is different. Also, don’t forget to use the night moisturiser.

How to keep the breasts we have?

Keeping the perky look

A great deal of woman’s beauty lies upon her breasts. Not only do we need them to make our cleavage nice, but they also make our figure more attractive. Even if we exercise every day, only a few of us pay attention to breast area.

Breasts are made of milk glands and tissue, but have no muscles of their own. That is the main reason they give in to gravity with age, but excessive weight loss and gain, pregnancy and skin dehydration accelerate this process. If you are happy with the way your breasts look, read on how to make them stay that way, and if you want to improve the looks of ypur breasts, you’ve come to the right place.

The following tips will help you keep your breasts firm, young and beautiful:

Showering
When under a shower, direct the water flow to your breasts. Turn the water on cold and massage your breasts with the water beam. Count to one hundred for every breast. Also do your upper arms. After douching and drying up, put on some firming cream.

Posture
If you straighten your body posture, your breasts are instantly looking higher and firmer. When you straighten your neck, put your shoulders back and keep your back upright, your breasts can lean on the four chest muscles underneath. This way your whole body looks thinner and more elegant.

Peeling
For achieving elastic and soft skin peeling is a must. You can use any product you like or try home made we suggest: Take a handful of sea salt and gently massage your whole body, paying special attention to breasts. Or you can mix 4 tablespoons of powdered oat, 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, 4 tablespoons of aloe and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. After showering the peeling off, use a hydrating or a firming lotion.

Special care
Many home made cosmetic masks can help your breasts. One of them is papaya. Simply peel a papaya, put it in a blender and process. Apply the mask once a week for half an hour. To rejuvenate the skin use half of an avocado (blend in a blender), which will make the small wrinkles disappear. Watermelon will make your skin glow. Simply mash two slices up (get rid of seed first) and leave it on for half an hour.

Exercise!
Breasts relay on four chest muscles for holding them up. So, a good idea would be to make those strong in order to have firm breasts. Here are some exercises: 1. Get down on your hands and knees, spread arms a bit wider than your shoulders are. Straighten your back and slowly bend your elbows, until you touch floor with your breasts. Pull up. 2. Lie on your back and pull your legs up, bend them. Take a small weight in each hand, put them up and slowly lower them over your head. Take them back up and between your legs. Your back shouldn’t move during this exercise. Do every exercise 5 times 5 repetitions at first, slowly build your repetition number to 10.

Fatty habits

Self-sabotaging your diet

Ok, you’re around your goal weight or are trying to loose a couple of pounds, but whatever you do they keep coming back. You work out harder, eat less and buy only fat-free, sugar-free and skimmed products, but that last pounds just won’t slide off you.

Is it maybe that you’re self-sabotaging your own diet?

Although you will probably say ‘No way’, check out this fatty habits most of us have. Once you get rid of them, the pounds will come right down.

Big meals
For years now restaurants are serving larger and larger servings, plates got bigger and packages in supermarkets too. Think about what you’re doing and order a small pizza, or share a meal with someone. Eat slowly and soon you’ll realize you’ve had enough. Also, read our Dieting and eating out post for some great tips.

Fatigue
You should sleep at least 7 hours a day. Tired body has less energy to process sugars and fats. Moreover, if you messed your biorhythm up, you’ll soon find yourself eating a big dinner at 3 am. Our tip is: sleep well and rest whenever you can.

Not eating fruit
Fruit is the best source of vitamins and antioxidants; it contains natural sugars and fibre. It helps you stay the way you like it by keeping you away from sweets and chocolate. If bananas apples and oranges bore you, browse the market and try one of 1000 other fruits that exist.

Office
You sit at your desk, don’t move for hours and then, for your brake, order a take-out delivery. A better way is to buy a salad, fruit and mineral water and go for a walk. In these 30 minutes you shouldn’t think about work and try to relax.

I’ve earned it
Don’t work out too furiously; the studies suggest that women who do that eat 51% more calories than the ones that exercise in normal tempo. This is because they subconsciously think they’ve earned the right to an extra chocolate. Working out is no excuse for a calorie suicide.

Fibre
Fibre is healthy for you. It keeps your indigestion running smoothly and your tummy full. You should eat 8 different fruits and vegetables each day to fill your body with enough fibre.

Sodas and alcohol
When you drink sodas or alcoholic drinks, you introduce calories in your organism with no nutritional value. It’s better to have natural juices and mineral water. If you have to, drink a spritzer, a mixture of white vine and sparkling mineral water.

Being pessimistic
It’s as easy as that: If you don’t believe you can loose weight, it’s probably going to be true. Set high goals for yourself and use the scale every day. Most importantly, believe in your plan! If you’re blue, try to read our How to deal with blues post.

Sugar and fat free
Your body reacts badly if you give it something sweet, but with no real sugar in it. It compensates the sugars with eating too much. The same goes for fat free products. The newest studies prove that if you eat healthy but original food, with normal levels of sugars and fat, you’ll loose weight quicker and discipline yourself better.

Serious beauty mistakes we all make

Have you ever felt like you never achieve the level of beauty cover girls have? Although it’s obvious that they get a lot of help from their friend Photoshop, we ‘normal girls’ deserve to look refined, and, yes, expensive.

This doesn’t mean buying tons of really expensive cosmetics, clothes and make up, it’s enough to stay clear of these usual beauty mistakes.

Looking shabby
It’s important to look and feel beautiful, even when you’re alone at home. This, of course, means: brush your hair and teeth and wear decent clothes (even your old sweatshirt can look ok if it’s washed and spotless).

Poor mouth hygiene
Even though your teeth are healthy, and you haven’t had a toothache in months, how about visiting a dentist to get rid of calc, built up by drinking red vine, smoking and coffee? Also, brush your teeth after every meal and floss. This way your teeth will stay healthy and you won’t have trouble with bad breath.

Damaged hands
You should really pay attention to your hands, nails as well. Check out our How to have great nails and Nail care and how to do it (properly) posts. A good idea is to carry a small pack of hand cream in your handbag, so you can put it on whenever your hands need it.

Tweezed too much?
Be sensible when tweezing your brows. Read Perfect brows 1-2-3 post. Take your time when doing the brows, they grow rather slowly. If you make a mistake, use a pencil to cover it up.

Too much powder and makeup
Your foundation or your powder shouldn’t be too heavy, the same goes for the rest of your makeup too. If you overdue, it can make you look dramatic, even cheap for that matter. It will also make your pores clog, which results in small wrinkles, acne, blemishes and all the other stuff you don’t want on your face.

Not cleaning your makeup accessories
You should clean your brushes, sponges, puffs and all other beauty gear at least once a week, and replace them at least once in three months time. Oils and bacteria tend to build up in accessories, and if your skin is prone to acne, you’ll be surprised how much this tactic can help.

Too dark lip liner
This is a major mistake many women do. Your lip liner (pencil) should be the exact colour as your lipstick, and never darker. You see, when the lipstick melts way you are left with a dark circle around your lips, and that looks very unattractive. Use the lip liner to enhance the lipstick and make it more durable, for further tips, read our Absolutely fabulous lips article.

Not removing makeup from your face
You should never, never be too tired to take the makeup off. If you go to sleep with your makeup still on, the next morning your pores will be clogged, skin irritated and makeup much more difficult to get rid off. So, take that ten needed minutes and remove your makeup.

Liquid eyeliner disaster
With liquid eyeliners the trick is practice and steady hand. A crooked, uneven line is not the look you should be going for. Practice, look for liners with small, firm, preferably tiny padded points. If you still can’t do it, use pencil instead.

Roots showing?
When you are thinking about dying your hair, think twice. You’ll need to touch up your roots every 3 to 4 weeks and dye your hair all over every 6 to 8 weeks. Can you afford it? Also, when going blonde, think about what peroxide does to your hair. Is it worth it?

Treating your hair harsh
Don’t bind your hair too tightly. It can make you look more serious than you wanted and cause a headache too.

Doing makeup under insufficient light
You can get wrong colours, thicker and harsher lines or miss a spot, when doing your makeup under soft, insufficient light. Always try to be facing a window if it’s light outside. If you usually do your makeup at night, get stronger bulbs.

Boring makeup
Doing the same thing every day, using same colours and techniques, even the products are the same? It’s time for a change. Experiment with colours and techniques. You’ll be surprised to see how different you can look.

Hair treatments: do they really work?

(part one)

Although we love hair products as all other girls, it’s time to face the truth, not everything you read in magazines or see in commercials is true. In fact, it’s far from true sometimes. So, here it goes: Shampoos get dirt out of your hair and make it smell lovely, and that’s about it.

Surprised? We sure were.

These days every major hair product producer is issuing a special ‘strengthening’ line. Not only do they promise sleek, miles long hair, but they also promise to do it on permed or colour – damaged hair. Accompanied with a bright red NEW sticker, products come with claims, for example laboratory tests that prove that their shampoo will get your hair 60 percent stronger.

Yeah right.

We are pushed to think that keratin, amino acids and other proteins and vitamins will charge directly from the shampoo and into your every hair, from top to the end, and miraculously transform it into undamaged, shiny bunch of hair. The truth is that very little of the product ever penetrates your hair. And the tests are done when the shampoo is still on.

You are better off with a good haircut (cutting off those split ends), eating vegetables and fruit, taking vitamin and mineral supplements, and all of those other things we described in Hair trouble post.

Moreover, be careful when shampooing. Shampoo only once, with a small amount of product, and rinse thoroughly. This is because, while shampoo really cleans your hair, it also cleans out the natural hair oil that makes your hair shiny and strong.

You see, even fortifying shampoos can make your hair, in fact, weaker.

Have you ever tried to wash your hair with shampoo and then rinse it and dry it? Without using a conditioner? Yes, your hair is coarse, tangly and dull. It doesn’t matter which brand you use or how much you paid for it. Shampoo is a detergent like the ones we use when cleaning the bathroom or washing the dishes.

So, if a shampoo should make your hair shiny and beautiful, why do you have to use the conditioner? Answer to this question in one of our next posts.

How to fight PMS?

Those days of the month are coming, and you are starting to feel tense and excessively sensitive. Some months you could rip someone’s head off, and usually you are verbally aggressive. If you’d like to change the way premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects you, read on sisters!

Don't let your body intimidate you. The remedy is at hand’s reach; it can be as easy as nibbling on some cheese. The fact is, calcium and D vitamin rich diet can prevent PMS in women between 20 and 40 years of age. So, eat more milk, spinach, yogurt and cheese before your period.

Another thing that helps is cutting cigarettes and coffee. Caffeine can enhance PMS, raising levels of anxiety, insomnia, nervousness and irritability. Lowering the number of coffees you drink can bring instant relief.

Nicotine is even worse when PMS is concerned, so think about quitting if you have really bad symptoms. Drinking alcohol is an unwise decision too, because alcohol drains B vitamin from body, messes carbs metabolism up and burdens the liver.

Do your breasts and tummy swell when expecting the period? Do you suffer from headaches? Fluid retention is primarily caused by too salty food, so try lowering your salt intake. Your body will remain normal and you won’t have headaches, as brain cells retain water too.

Don’t overdue on chocolate and sweets. Better choices are complex carbohydrates, such as integral cereals, pulse, fresh fruit and vegetables.

If all of this doesn’t help, consult your doctor, and find out which options are available except drinking pills. It may be acupuncture, massage or even naturally hormone-enriched foods.

Also, try this out if you get heavy cramps: put your palm on the inner part of your leg just above the ankle. The point above your hand is the one to press, like on pictures. The method is: press for 6 seconds, then release for two, press again and repeat for 5 minutes. Do the same with the other leg. Acupressure experts say that this massage enhances blood flow to uterus, and therefore relieves from pain.

How to have great nails?

Be kind to your nails, they’ll return the favour

One of the most important things to remember is: your hands are out there. People judge other people by hands, and through it, nails. Nothing worse than unmanicured, dirty nails (except if your work involves dealing with earth, which is then understandable).

As winter is coming along with big paces, our nails, with the rest of our body, deserves special care. Now is the time to repair all the neglect you given them through summer.

Start by eating properly. You should involve a lot of proteins, vitamins and minerals in your diet, especially those that build nails, like sulphur, calcium, iron, biotin, vitamins D, C, A and E and zinc. It’s enough to eat fish two times a week along with fresh season fruit and vegetables every day (french fries don’t qualify as vegetables, you cheaters). Don’t forget to eat some nuts, or perhaps some whole-wheat bread.

For your information, a lot can be said about a person from the nails.

Horizontal lines mean poor indigestion.

Vertical ones mean poor indigestion, paired with poor vitamin and mineral absorption, with low levels of B12 vitamin and iron insufficiency.

White spots indicate calcium and zinc insufficiency, they appear usually after you ate sugary things for a long while.

Bite nails can indicate nervousness, mineral lackage and intestine parasites.

Nails that are very bent downward can mean that the person lacks vitamin C, protein and folic acid.

Fragile nails indicate iron and vitamin A insufficiency, as well as thyroid glens and kidney malfunction or poor circulation.

Broken nails show poor stomach indigestion.

Purplish red nail colour means low energy and overall tiredness.

Dark red nails mean poor circulation due to excessive fatty and salty eating.

Yellowish nails can suggest liver malfunction.

Blue nail colour indicates improper lung and heart function.

Pail nails mean poor circulation, anaemic blood and low body energy.

Give your nails a full beauty salon treatment – at home. This treatment will help your nails get strong again, and ready to face the coldness of winter.

First of all, cut your nails short. Don’t worry, they’ll grow back in no time, but it’s maybe time to give them some rest. Then soak your nails in some warm water, to which you added a few drops of lemon juice. Take them out and before they dry brush nails with a soft bristle brush, to clean and massage them.

Soak them again and let them dry in air. Now massage every nail with sesame oil, or try this mix out: 50 grams of almond oil, 2 drops of each essential oil as follows lavender, sandalwood and cypress. When you’re done, sweep the excess oil with a tissue and apply a coat of straightening polish on.

Do this twice a week, for a period of four weeks, and you’ll se how healthier and stronger your nails will get. You can let them grow back than, and apply the routine only once a week.

Results

And now, here are the results of the test we let you answer in the previous post. Read on and learn something about yourself!

39 and more points

No thinking, just acting

When in bed, you forget all restrictions: you express yourself freely, pursue all instincts and wishes. You are a passionate and sensual woman, which has no breaks or boundaries. To indulge in such a passionate play, you don’t need a bed, Kamasutra or a Sex Machine for a partner, your only requests are a relaxed man and a situation you are completely comfortable with. Beware: since you let all your guards down and switch your brain off during lovemaking, letting any erotic spur lead you, it may come as a surprise that some men will find you intimidating, and you may end up disappointed.

31 to 39 points

Thinking and acting

You are not too bothered or worried about anything when sex’s concerned. You feel free and without inhibitions. Of course, your sexual fantasies differ from sexual and emotive situations in real life, but you except the fantasies calmly, as a way of fuelling your sexual energy. Between sheets you except your partner’s wishes and urges while trying to express your own, although you apply some censorship. You drive your wishes through a filter, training self-control, mostly because you understand that not all is appropriate for that situation and partner.

21 to 30 points

More thinking than acting

Your sexual wishes and urges are rather different from the things you really do in bed. Your inner thoughts are often very sex-specific, but you are not always aware of your wishes or keep them very deeply hidden. But that does not mean that you are incapable of letting go, it’s usually with a great partner or in an extremely sexy situation that you can’t resist. You are not without initiative in love and sex, but your wishes and fantasies are much more than you let yourself express. Maybe the problem lies in too much daydreaming or too kinky fantasies, so you apply conscious brakes out of fear of judgment. If so, you should learn to relax and accept your corporal urges and erotic wishes as something completely normal.

Less than 21 points

Maybe you think, but you sure enough don’t do

You are very aware of spiritual, intellectual and emotive pleasures, but sexual ones are a mystery to you. You are an emotional person, perhaps a bit flirty and like it when men court. But, since you are more of a spiritual than a sensual type, when sex is concerned you’re on a special diet. It’s not about quantity of sexual intercourses, but instead you don’t let yourself speak freely about anything sex-related, out of fear. Maybe you have a rich and unusual erotic fantasy world, and maybe you’re constrained in your fantasies too, the thing is, you never do what you think about. It doesn’t mean that you are cold in bed, but you could give much more, to your partner, but to yourself too.

Are you a thinker or a doer in bed?

A test to let you know how you behave in bed

Can you let your fantasy run wild and explore, or are you too frightened to loose control? Find out how relaxed and naughty you are when bed fun is concerned:

When you really think about it, it’s not so difficult to find harmony with your darling when it comes to sex. No real guy is going to expect of you to know Kamasutra by heart or have tons of experience. It is often enough to do what you feel, let your impulses and imagination lead you, without too much hesitation.

But, because of shyness, aggressiveness, eager to please him, upbringing and fear to project as too much or too little experienced, our behaviour in bed is far from what we want or feel completely happy with. Can you relax? If yes, how much? The path to answering the questions is in front of you, but only if you complete the test truthfully.

1. He invited you over to his place tonight, and you are pretty sure how the evening’s gonna end. During the day you are:

a) enjoying in advance

b) a bit excited but tense as well

c) so involved in your own problems you don’t have time to think

2. For some time bow you have this erotic dream or a secret wish that you're afraid to commit. How do you act?

a) You are going to tell your partner about it.

b) You think about it while making love to your partner

c) You are embarrassed and are trying to forget it, because your dream was too hot

3. You know you are going to meet the guy you fancy today. You put on your sexy laundry because:

a) you like wearing it and feel sexy

b) you like it, but you hope he’s gong to like it too

c) of him. You like practical, preferably pure cotton underwear.

4. When you are engaged in sexual pleasure, your ability to think rationally is:

a) close to zero: your brain is shut down

b) you turn your brain off and on

c) you are always able to think rationally

5. How would you like your partner to be in moments of passion?

a) The same like you, somewhat free with some restrictions

b) Exactly like you

c) A little bit more conservative, some of his demands make you uncomfortable

6. Your sex life is:

a) Turbulent, full of ups and downs

b) Great, full of excitement

c) Monotone

7. Speaking generally when you work and in everyday living, you are:

a) the initiator: brave an not afraid to risk

b) balanced: whatever you do, you always play safe

c) careful: often indecisive and afraid of possible mistakes

8. You’re having your first romantic dinner with the man that attracts you. You are talking about:

a) something provocative, related to love and sex

b) his past, even from long, long ago and about his exes

c) your work

9. He brought you to your apartment door and would like to ask him in for a nightcap, but it’s only your second date:

a) You do not hesitate to ask him in

b) You give him a promising kiss and run away like Cinderella

c) You think that a goodnight peck on the cheek is enough

10. You feel connected to a guy if:

a) You feel you can talk to him about everything and ask him anything.

b) You wishes are the same.

c) He is capable of reading your thoughts and lets you know what he wants.

11. He had a problem performing in bed, but he swears he loves you.

a) You try to do something extremely sexy, something that would arouse a dead man.

b) You don’t want to attack or pressure him. He’ll do better next time.

c) You tell him that it’s ok and that you’re not worried.

12. You’re in bed with the man you love, but are fantasising about that sexy neighbour of yours. You think of your fantasy:

a) positively, it enhances your excitement

b) Maybe you’d like not to have that fantasy right now, but except it as natural

c) It ruins your mood completely because you have bad conscious

13. What does the word ‘wish’ mean to you:

a) Pleasant wishes that you pursue to please

b) Something sinful, but you indulge yourself from time to time.

c) Food cravings, like pregnant women have.

14. Your ‘love beast’ should be.

a) Obedient like a dog, but perverse like a snake

b) Provocative like a cat but wild like a wild horse

c) Nice like a dolphin and gentle like Bamby

15. If saying ‘NO’ was not an option, with which of the three stranger would you spend the night:

a) An inexperienced young man, looking for his first lessons

b) An exciting waiter, whom you seduced in a bar

c) A manly truck driver

16. While making sweet love to your darling you:

a) Whisper passionate words and provocative wishes in his ear

b) Let him know how much you like the things he’s doing

c) Shut up, in fear of spoiling it all

Now, for every A answer, give yourself 3 ponts, for every B 2 points and for C 1 point. Sum it all up and read us again tomorrow, when you’re test results will be ready.

Perfect brows 1-2-3

Tweezing and waxing your brows away (with some trimming along)

Whatever you do, whichever cosmetic products you use, no matter how expensive they are, nothing will mean a thing if you don’t have nice eyebrows. You can get your brows in shape by visiting a beautician, and then just maintain them at home, tweezing each brow-hair as it appears.

But what if you let them grow wild, they’re all over your face and all beauty parlours are closed? Learn here how to shape your brows to perfection and you’ll never have to worry again.

Before any hair removing takes place, make sure your face is clean, your hands as well. Be ready to suffer some pain, because skin under and around eyebrows is very sensitive. If you’re hyper pain-not-resistant, prepare some ice cubes to freeze slightly the skin and diminish the pain (when waxing), or shape your brows immediately after taking a shower (when tweezing). Next, comb your brows with a clean toothbrush.

The first thing to do is to determine what your eyebrows should look like. This is done wit some help of a ruler or a very long pen, if you have it.

To determine how long your brows should be, hold a ruler parallel to your nose. Level the ruler with the inner corner of the eye, and you’ve found where your brow should begin. Mark the correct point with a dot using a kohl pencil or similar.

The tricky part is the arch, or where the highest point of your brow should be. Avoid creating an unnaturally exaggerated arch; the shape you’re aiming for is thicker at the inner corner, tapering out over the brow bone. The best way to do this is by holding a ruler from the edge of the nostril past the outer edge of the iris (the colored part of the eye) and up to the eyebrow. Mark the spot with a dot.

‘Connect’ the nostril and the outer corner of your eye with a ruler and you’ll find where your brows should stop. Now link up the dots in a gentle arch to draw the ideal shape of your eyebrow. This will give you a guideline to go by waxing and tweezing.

If you’re about to use wax, do yourself a favour and buy a professional kit for waxing: a jar or a tube of wax ready to be heated in boiling water. Use a small spatula and apply only small amounts of wax at time. Put a muslin strip on it and remove it as soon as you can (consult the instructions that came with the wax, products vary). Do this in the opposite way of hair-growth, while pulling skin with your other hand.

Don’t wax above the brow, only underneath. If any hairs are leftover, tweeze it. You can also tweeze any strand hair above the brow.

Tweezing is a simpler solution; you only need a good pair of tweezers. They come in three basic shapes: thin tip is good for grasping small, fine hairs, and plucking ingrown hair, slanted tip gives maximum control while square tip is used for removing coarse hairs or several hairs at a time.

For brows to be just perfect, once you’re done with tweezing or waxing, comb brows upwards and trim any hairs that stick out too much. When you’re buying cosmetics next time, try to look for a good brow pencil. You can correct any mistakes you’ve made while removing brow hair with it (filling the gaps) or enhance the natural colour of your eyebrows.

Perfect lashes

Mascara tips and how-tos

It’s a simple truth: slap a concealer and some mascara on your face and you’re ready to go! It’s good for work, school, lunch or an evening out, providing that you know what you’re doing.

Here are some things to consider:

First colour your lover lashes. Do this gently and take care not to put too much mascara on. When doing the upper lashes, open your eyes wide and tilt your chin up, take the wand from the very base of the lashes and stroke through the length of the lashes.

Use eyelash curler, it'll become your best friend. The trick is to lightly powder lashes to give mascara a coat to stick to. Heat eyelash curler with hair dryer for a few seconds. Place the open curl near the lash roots and arrange your lashes between the two rims. Squeeze gently for thirty seconds. Squeeze again at mid-lash for another thirty-seconds. Apply mascara immediately.

If you’re applying more than one layer, let the first one dry properly. Be sure to cover the inner part of lashes too, your eyes will look bigger.

Black mascara is a standard, and you can’t go wrong there. But, if you’re blonde or have fair hair, you should consider brown mascara (or dark blue, which makes your eye whites whiter) for a more gentle everyday look.

You could try colourless mascara for achieving a nude look, so popular nowadays. Apply a layer, curl your lashes with eyelash curler and then stick another layer of mascara.

Shorter lashes benefit from a length enhancing type of mascara. Thinner lashes will become fuller with a thickening formula and longer lashes will really benefit from curling mascara. There is a product for everything, don’t be afraid to use it.

Consider using a waterproof mascara if you're always in a hurry (you can take a shower without having to redo your make-up), or going to an event that could make you cry (weddings). Also, if it’s looking like it’s going to rain. Waterproof mascara is more difficult to remove, so be sure you have an eye-makeup remover that’ll do the job.

Sex and couples

I want an O too! (every time)

You’ve done it for the first time, everything went well, and you’ve done it a few times after that too. You had an O, well, at best, half of the times you two ended up in bed. Did he come? Sure he did. Did he ask you if you did? You answered yes, and even faked it, just to keep him feeling king of the world. It’s…you know…OK. Should you settle for OK? Hell no!

We know you don’t want to hurt his feelings, at least not this early in the relationship, but as an intelligent woman you must know that unsatisfactory sex leads only to unsatisfied girl. This can only mean unsatisfied living and a soon brake up. And we don’t want this to happen, do we?

So, the question is, how to tell him gently what it takes to please you in bed? Read on and you find out.

Men like to bring you to climax, it makes them feel able and manly. But, girl is very different to another girl, and so men can’t always know what makes you scream with pleasure.

Let him start as usual, either oral or manual foreplay. You just have to remember to put a loot of moans and ‘baby you’re soooo goood’ every few minutes.

Build up his confidence and then ask for whatever you want, jus as long as you tell it in soft, sexy tone. For example: -Baby it drives me mad when you fondle me with your hand, I’d like it even better if you used your other hand and put two fingers inside’

A good way to go is to ‘help’ him with your own hands, by gently rubbing your clitoris or moving your body while his head is between your thighs. If he strikes, try not to strangle him, but let him know that he’s on the right path.

Don’t let him stop the foreplay too soon. He must realize you need more time to get ready. If you notice he’s about to ‘get off the wagon’, try telling him something like: -Oh my God! You’re driving me mad! I’m seconds away! Don’t stop!’

Don’t feel bad if you’re not doing anything other than lying on your back. Enjoy, and if you want to, start fondling him as well. Do a 69-er if you’re up to it. If you reach an O during foreplay, you have more chance of repeating it during intercourse.

When you start doing it for real, put yourself first for once. But don’t forget to compliment him and then give the instruction. Like: Do it slower, I want to feel every inch of it! Take me from behind; I love it when it goes so deep! Touch me while you’re doing that!

With any luck, this should be enough for you to be satisfied. And once you started tipping him, it gets easier every time. You can even make a game out of it, he does something for you, and then you return the favour. Experiment, have fun, enjoy…

Proud to be a girl

10 reasons why women are happier than men

Although it’s true that we get paid less for doing the same job, have to take care of children, house and go to work at the same time and are physically weaker, women are much happier than men. Don’t believe it? Read through and you’ll find out why.

Clothes: We can wear skirts, trousers and dresses, while men can put on only trousers (except for Scotsmen). There are more shops for women and we can choose from a grater variety of products. Plus: when it gets hot, we can put on a light dress and still look suitable for any occasion. Men on the other hand have to put on a suit, shirt and a tie to achieve the same.

Hair: We can make loads of stuff with our hair, wear hundreds of styles and best of all, a large majority of women will never loose their hair, whilst men get bald often, even in their young age.

Sex: The truth is that we only get better at sex with years; we learn new stuff and get to know our body better. At 18, men come like rabbits, at 25 they start to realise what sex really is, at 30 to 35 they practice good sex, and afterwards it’s down the slope for them. I mean, is there Viagra for women?

Free time: We do what we want with our free time. We can go shopping, watch soaps, go out with friends or read a book, while men have to go to the stupid football match.

Health: Women handle stress much better than men. Our bodies disintegrate stress hormones (adrenalin and cortisol) faster. And, we are less likely to get into fights, we are rarely professional boxers or do hazardous sports.

Life span: Women live longer than men, up to seven years to be exact.

Feelings: We can talk about our feelings, cry on someone’s shoulder and get it out. Men do the opposite: they hide it all inside and usually get ulcers because of it. We are mentally saner.

Scent of smell: We enjoy good scents more. The smell of freshly made coffee, or a bouquet of flowers can make us feel happy.

Cosmetics: We have make up that helps us hide all the things we don’t want to be seen. For example, after a night out and a lot of booze, we slap on some powder, concealer, blush and mascara and we look great, while men are stuck with puffy eyes and dark circles.

Chivalry: We can always find a seat in the bus and never have to carry heavy stuff around. We don’t have to open doors, get drinks or pay for dinner, if we don’t want to.

That’s it sisters! Whenever you get blue because of a guy, or think men’s world is treating you unjust, just browse through these 10 things and you’ll feel better in no time.

Dieting and eating out?

If you’re a girl, you’re always on some kind of a diet, right? Even if we’re not, we’re always buying low-fat, fat-free, carb-free, sugarless and skimmed products. Cooking usually involves olive or sunflower oil instead of grease, chicken and fish instead of pork and beef, artificial sweeteners, whole-wheat flour, steaming, grilling instead of frying… We count calories, grams of fat and sugar. We do it almost subconsciously, and the whole thing helps us stay fit, healthy and keeping pounds off.

But what about dining out? Restaurants and fast-food joints can be the no1 enemy of your diet…or not. Examine this tips and tricks on how to eat out and stay on track.

Know what you’re ordering and how’s it prepared. Don’t hold back on questions. It’s your right to know, you’re paying for it. Also, order sauces on the side, or in a separate bowl. If you like a meal, but would like to have it grilled, without salt or similar, just say so.

Portions in restaurants are a few sizes too big, almost always. So, instead of ordering a fixed dish, combine your own from the things you like. It can get only a bit more expensive. Or, split a dish with someone, which is great if you’re dining with a girlfriend.

Try salad as your starter, go easy on appetizers. Take whole-wheat bun instead of a plain one, and don’t add any butter.

Order clear soups, milk instead of cream and put salsa on your potatoes instead of cream or butter. Try seafood or pasta with plain tomato sauce and a lot of herbs for a change.

Drink a lot of water, only a little wine, and mix it with sparkling water. For desert, take a fruit cake instead of chocolate one. Sorbet is a good choice too. If you can’t resist the chocolate delight, share it with someone.

If you’re full and still have some food on your plate, ask for a doggy bag. This way you won’t feel bad for not cleaning up your dish.

Fast food can be tricky. Their salads are not as healthy as you think, they contain croutons, cheese, ham and fatty dressing. Stay away from those, and take your salad plain, with some salt, vinegar or only a half of dressing. Another way to go is veggie burger, small, plain hamburger or fish burger. Order mustard or ketchup with your burger instead of mayo and mysterious special sauce.

Some fast food diners now offer bunless meals. They put your burger, tomato, lettuce and pickles in a plastic plate. If you really have to have (and are craving for it) something fatty, spice it up with some Tabasco, peppers and so on. It’ll speed up the metabolism of fat and neutralise some of it too.

And remember, eat slowly and chew properly (20-30 times for one bite) because it takes about 20 minutes for your body to realise it’s full.

First date sex

Kiss and forget or thirsty for more?

Times when women were considered sluty for dishing out on first date should have been long forgotten. We have sexual urges just like man, and are becoming more aware of them every day. I think it’s time for women to take matters in their own hands.

So, why is first date sex still such a bad thing? I say it isn’t, but your moves should depend on what you’re looking for. If’you’re up to an only physical relationship, sex on first date puts everything in perspective. Try to explain that to the guy, and make sure he knows you want only his body.

Sexual relationships can be a great thing. You can have guy no 1 you like, he’s sweet, gentle, talkative and a good listener, you have similar interests…but he’s just not what you need in the sack. Your stud no 2 saves the day here, doing everything you like, while shutting up. The bliss!

But, things tend to get a bit messier if you like the guy on your first date, don’t want to have an exclusively sexual relationship with him, but it so happens that you end up in bed.

Most women start panicking early next morning. It’s true that this is not the perfect way to begin a relationship, but get real, men are not such bastards your mother has warned you about. (With exclusion of those who are, but that sleazy SOBs are dead easy to spot) There is a great chance that he’s as confused as you are.

The key element here is to determine what you want. If the sex was lousy, think again if the guy’s a keeper. Bad bedroom habits can get only worse, and it takes a serious commitment to improve a guy. But, if you liked the sex, and want to keep the guy, here’s what to do.

Talk. Tell him that you had a wonderful time, and that you enjoyed sex as well, but that you feel it maybe happened too soon. Say that you want to get to know him more, and that you should connect better before you have sex again.

Watch what he does while you are talking. If he’s smirking and looking away, he’s about to run the hell out of there. Let him. But, a normal guy should be relieved you brought the subject up, and are so sound about it. Check with him what he wants from the relationship.

If this all went well, suggest a rewind of that ‘initial contact’. Start all over again and see how it works.

My point is: first date sex does not mean you’re a slut, easy or whatever. It also shouldn’t be a relationship spoiler, if the guy’s a normal person. Many, many things can break you up before you even properly started, and sex shouldn’t be one of them.

The final thought: He was there as well as you were. It’s not your solemn responsibility not to start the relationship with sex, so he should have said something, shouldn’t he? So, relax girl, things can get only better now!

Hair removal and how to do it

Red spots and scratches all over

One of my best girlfriends is on her way to become a great genetics scientist. At the moment she’s doing research in a well-known institute, working with people who decoded and mapped the human genome.

She’s smart, beautiful, self-conscious, outspoken and fun. We had great times together and still paint the town red every time she pops for a visit. But, all of these qualities are not the reason of me reminiscing about Maya.

Believe it or not, this extraordinarily smart woman’s main goal in life (apart from some very obvious) is to discover where is the gene for leg, armpit, bikini zone and upper lip hair hidden, and to disable it. If she can’t do that, she swears she’ll invent a pill that stripes us from all hair except that on our heads. I say go girl!

But, until then (this crazy scientists can take the longest time in inventing something useful), we are left with the ultimate question: What is the best way to remove unwanted hair on our bodies? Razor, wax, cream, laser, epilator…what?

Shaving is the cheapest and easiest way to remove hair from your legs and armpits. But, it does not last; in the summer it needs daily maintenance for you to look ok. Your razor should be always sharp (replace it every fifth time). Take care you first moisten your legs for at least three minutes under warm shower, and be careful which shaving cream/foam/gel you use. It can irritate your skin and cause ingrown hair, so if you have any trouble, just use the hair conditioner. Never go swimming just after you’ve shaven your legs (see, pool etc.)

Waxing is considered to be painful, and guess what? It is, it hurts like hell. Especially if it’s just before or after your period. What’s more, your hair has to be at least ½ of a cm long. Good news is that it lasts for ages (or closer to 3 weeks), and your hairs reduce. But the excruciating pain! Don’t do the hot wax, you can choose cold ones. Drink an Advil or similar pill for at least two hours before ‘surgery’. For those among us who don’t take chances, there are creams that numb your skin (ask your beautician about it). If you’re doing it at home, sprinkle some baby powder on your legs first, and then apply the wax.

Depilatory creams stink and cause allergies. With the stench we can’t help you (open the window), and as far as irritation goes, try it out first on a small patch of skin. Creams are great if you want a durable result, they burn hair under skin surface, and so it grows out slower. You can do your legs, bikini zone and even face. Remember to put a warm washcloth on the area for few minutes before applying cream. Don’t overdue on time, follow the instructions. When removing the cream, wipe it off and then rinse.

Epilators hurt too. It’s just a fancy name for electric tweezers when pain is concerned. Many of them nowadays have skin coolers that should help. The effect is longer lasting than shaving or crams, but hurts and the skin tends to get red bumps. Plus is that once you buy it you don’t need anything in that department for a long time, and many of those appliances have interchangeable heads, so you can shave as well and perform a gentle peeling.

Electrolysis and laser hair removal give by far the longest lasting result. Almost forever! The downside is that the first one hurts (they insert needles in your skin) and both are really pricy. One treatment can cost from 50 up to 500 US$ (depending on the area covered and method used), and you’ll need at least 3.

Hope this short hair removal tutorial helped you, but let us know what you think. Coming up next in hair removal compartment: Combating facial hair

Top ways to look ridiculous

Just don’t do it!

Watching MTV, daily soaps and action movies many women get these ‘great’ ideas. Like: wearing tiny golden shorts, string bra, shoes with 15 cm heels (like J Lo in her music video) or completely transparent top, extremely high hair, a lot of flounce, purple from head to toe with a touch of green, large animal print… you name it. Although these looks are undisputedly sexy and seem applicable to everyday life, trust us, they are not. Hasn’t your mamma ever told you not to trust anything you see on TV?

Before you get out of the house, check the mirror. It often happens that we look something in between of what we were picturing and what we really achieved. That’s mostly because all of us girls have these perfect looking pin-up girls in our heads.

So, when we put on a piece of top range clothes or makeup, we imagine we look just like the advertisement mannequin, but sometime it’s far from beautiful and sexy. Although the imagined me has the perfect complexion, enhanced with that new toner and powder, an honest look in the mirror reveals just perfect – dark circles around my eyes.

Some of us are born with it, some have to work hard to achieve it – sexy look is not something to be taken lightly. When you’re up for sexy, don’t do severe.

Ten golden not to dos

Thick layered red lipstick

We have nothing against screaming red lipstick, but only if you promise not to put it on while driving, the rest of your wardrobe is in subtle tones, not to eat spinach and check it every two hours.

The traitor bra

Those transparent latex straps just don’t do the job. They tend to cut in your flesh, get dirty very easily and get real they are not invisible. If you have to have something flashing from your top, let it be a subtle colour of lace or satin bra.

Dramatic look gone bad

Artificial lashes poorly attached and leaky glue making your eyes red are signs for you: first learn how to do it properly. Even more, go easy on mascara (no one likes lumps in lashes), and when you’re plucking your eyebrows, for the love if God, look what you’re doing.

Concrete hairdo

Yes, your hair should move, especially if the day’s windy. Take it easy with maximum hold gel and spray. When you’re colouring your hair at home try calling your best friend to help you. There’s nothing worse than a dark spot in blond hair.

Smelling like…

Don’t mix several perfumes together. Don’t put deodorant, scented moisturiser and scented shampoo on at the same time and top it with perfume. Too much scent gets…smelly.

Appropriate clothes

It’s good to follow trends, but you should adjust it to your figure. A stretch mini with no bra plus big tits looks bad. Showing cleavage down to your waste line will only make you look cheap and a wide belt on your not so thin waste will make it look fatter.

Platforms etc.

Please, don’t wear platforms. Those days are long gone and only Pamela Anderson gets to wear them today. Try flat shoes if you got the legs for it, and if not the best way to go is a feminine 3-4 cm high heal.

Monkey manicure

French manicure two weeks old looks corny, as well as rusty oriental jewellery. Also, don’t put 5 layers of polish on. The same goes for your toenails.

Underwear trouble

Nylon panties, too small thongs and halters are things to wear to bed, for a maximum of few hours. When put to everyday use they tend to get uncomfortable, rashy and twisted.

Disco makeup

Yes, you should make your makeup a bit heavier when going to poorly lit places, but don’t overdue it. Too dark powder, three layers of mascara and red blush can only make you look cheap. And it’ll melt down anyway.

Absolutely fabulous lips

Some further tips and tricks on how to buy, put on and wear your lipstick. With some consideration, your lips can look gorgeous all day long.

First, when you’re buying your new lipstick, don’t ever try the tester on your lips directly. It’s unhygienic; try to imagine all the bacteria swarming on it! Instead, put some lipstick on your fingertips, whose colour is similar to your lips. Check the colour near a window or even go out of the store; the colour tends to look different in artificial light.

If you despite our advice end up with the shade that’s just not right, don’t throw it away. You can try mixing it with some other lipstick or darken it with a bit of lip pencil. Store your lipstick in refrigerator.

Even if you have dry lips, don’t put any moisturiser or lip balm under your lipstick, it’ll melt right off. You can use creamy lipsticks instead. Don’t rub your lips after putting lipstick on

When you’re touching up on your makeup during the day, don’t just put some more lipstick on. First remove any residue lipstick with a tissue and only then can you put on a new layer.

If you accidentally smudge some lipstick on the skin surrounding your lips don’t worry. Use a cotton swab and some eye-makeup remover to gently rub it off.

To avoid getting lipstick on your teeth, run your index finger through the middle of your lips and pull it back out.

Newer put lipstick over a herpes sprouting on your lips. It can spread the infection, and what’s more, it doesn’t look nice. Better wait for the wound to heal. If you want to cover it up, use an antiseptic corrector.

How to put lipstick on properly:

Get rid of choppy lips first. Treat your lips to a peeling once a week by using a soft toothbrush and some moisturiser.

Before putting anything on your lips, apply some base foundation and blend it well. Follow with lip pencil the exact mach to your lipstick colour. Carefully outline your lips and colour lips as well, it’ll make lipstick last longer.

Use a brush to apply lipstick. Then gently press a tissue against the lips and apply another layer of lipstick.

As a final touch, put some gloss in the middle of your upper and lower lip, it’ll create the look of fullness.

Let your lips talk

Our lips always send out a message, whether they are covered with screaming red lipstick or just a touch of lip balm. The message is for you to compose.

From ancient Egypt to French Guerlain and European Helena Rubinstein women have always loved the feel and look of lipstick.

But, lipstick would never have become so popular if it hadn't been for movie stars from golden Hollywood era. So, today we have lipsticks that don’t smudge, make our lips larger, plumper, moist and sexy. What are you waiting for? Go out there and buy yourself a great lipstick.

How to choose the right one?

One of the ways to determine your perfect lip colour might be your skin tone. If your skin has a bluish glow, pick deep red or purple, but if your skin emits a yellowish aura you can try the warmer side of the palette, choosing red or gold.

Another criteria to watch out for is your hair colour. The general opinion is: pastel pink is for blonds, women with brown hair can wear any shade of red, whilst orange is suitable only for redheads. But, here are some further tips; some well kept professional secrets that will help you to have just perfect lips:

Pink is a very easy to wear colour. It can soften a brunettes face and blends perfectly with fair hair.

If bronze has golden glow it can volumise your lips, and works very good with dark haired women. Golden bronze enhances sun-touched skin. If you have fair skin, try orange-bronze.

Plum colour is perfect for red or dark hair. But beware: if you want to wear this colour, you have to precisely outline your lips, and they shouldn’t be too big.

A classic red is ideal for any hair colour, the only thing to look out for is that screaming red works only with blonds, while redheads should stay away from it.

Now you know which shade fits you perfect. In our next post we’ll teach you how to put lipstick on, and make it stay there.

Cold feet? Get warm!

The summer is really over and the fall season is coming down on us with fog, rain and cold days. High humidity in the air makes our hair frizzy and hair-do untidy. And although we tend to wear warmer clothes, we still leave our hands, face and neck unprotected from cold winds.

As it gets colder and colder, and the winter starts, we get more reluctant to get out of warm bed in the morning. Sometime we even tend to skip classes or miss work. If it’s absolutely necessary to go out it takes about five whole minutes to get incurably cold, and the coldness lasts through the whole day.

Now is the right time to learn how to warm yourself up, before the cruel winter gets you. Here are our tips:

If you’re constantly cold, it’s usually bad circulation. How to improve your blood flow? It’s pretty easy, when you know what you’re supposed to be doing.

Drink a cup of hot cinnamon tea with honey in the morning, follow with a 10 minute workout. When you’re in the shower, treat your body to a peeling, first rubbing peeling and then rubbing your body with a bathing glove.

First shower with warm and then cold water, repeat a few times. After showering, when your skin is still warm, apply a generous layer of moisturising cream, which will hold the heat on the surface of your skin.

Try this out, and you’ll feel the change immediately! Plus, wear soft, comfortable socks which won’t stop your blood flow. Treat yourself to a cup of hot chocolate before going to bed (use honey for sweetening). It would be great to try some of the following teas too: nettle (Urtica dioica), everlasting (Calendula officinalis), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) or birch leaf (Betula alba).

Hair trouble

No, we’re not going to talk about bad hair day, we’ll come to that later. This post is about split ends, every girl’s nightmare. Split ends make us look sloppy, and you and I both now how much hard work we put in looking good.

Furthermore, with split ends it’s almost impossible to maintain that posh, sleek look we’ve learnt to love. Even the split end ponytail looks corny.

But, you’ll say, I just can’t help it. My hairs split no matter what I do. Are you suggesting I should stop colouring my hair and using a blow dryer? Or cutting it shorter each time? Don’t panic sisters, we may be a bit crazy, but we wouldn’t dare to mess with the ‘do!

One of the most important things after getting a fresh haircut (all the split ends are gone, yeeeeah!) is to maintain that state. Here are some tips on how to prevent split ends:

Brushing: should be a strict no-no, but if you have to do it, use brushes made of soft material, be gentle and never, never brush your hair when it’s wet, because it’s more fragile than when dry. Comb wet hair if you want to.

Colouring: Don’t do it more than once in a fortnight. Always use shampoos and conditioners that are specifically made for coloured and dry hair, because chemicals in colours dry your hair down and damage it.

Other chemical treatments: You should pause for at least two weeks between colouring / highlighting and giving your hair a perm or semi-permanent ironing

Sleep like a true princess, on a silk (satin) pillow.: Not only does it feel good, but it also prevents tangling of hair.

Drying: Don’t use your blow-dryer every day, please. Every other should suffice for any hair do. Don’t towel-dry your hair too vigorously, a gentle drying will do as well.

Playing with your hair: Don’t. You don’t like to be stretched, twirled, and tugged either, so treat your hair the same. Also, always use coated rubber bands when making pony tails.

But what if we already got split ends, you might ask? Some solutions for you too:

Always condition your hair after shampooing: Try different shampoos and conditioners every time you buy new bottles, and try mixing one shampoo with some other label conditioner. Experiment, you’ll soon find the perfect mach for your hair.

Deep condition once a month: You can use any deep conditioner you like, or you can simply put some olive oil on your hair and leave it for 20 minutes. The important thing is to cover your head in plastic cap after you apply the conditioner and put on it a warm towel (soaked in hot water for example).

For quick fixes: just before an important meeting/date, you realise the split end disaster. Use a leave in conditioner in spray or cream and then blow-dry for a few minutes.

Trim: You should visit your hair stylist at least once every 6 – 8 weeks, to trim your hair. The word is, you have to cut it even if you’re growing it.

Good food enhances love

(chocolate delights)

If you ever wanted to surprise your guy with some good food, this post if for you. Very unusually, we start with deserts, but chocolate is not only perfect food for women hearts, but sexual amplifier as well. Eating chocolate enhances the production of endorphins in our body, which are mood-boosters.

And don’t worry, the puddings we teach you how to make are dead easy, quick, and most importantly, chocolaty. If he likes you for the things you do in bed, he’ll just love you for the sweets you make…we guarantee.

Chocolate cream pots

Ingredients needed: one and a half cups half-and-half or light cream, 1/3 cup sugar, one cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips, four large egg yolks (beaten), two tablespoons vanilla extract, whipped cream

Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In saucepan, bring half-and-half and sugar to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add chocolate chips. Let stand for 30 seconds; stir until chocolate melts. Whisk in yolks and vanilla. Pour into six custard cups or any other heatproof cups. Place them in 13x9 baking pan. Pour hot water into pan halfway up sides of cups. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until almost set in centres. Remove cups to rack; cool slightly. Serve warm for a softer texture, or refrigerate overnight for a firmer set. Serve with whipped cream (and a smile, we might add, preferably in the bed you just shared with your sexy stud).

Easy Tiramisu

Ingredients needed: six tablespoons Kahlúa (or any other coffee liqueur), three tablespoons granulated sugar, one tablespoon water, two teaspoons instant coffee powder, half a cup whipped cream cheese, two tablespoons whipping cream, four (half-inch-thick) slices purchased pound cake, two teaspoons chocolate powder

Preparation: Combine coffee liqueur, a tablespoon of sugar, a tablespoon of water and instant espresso powder in small bowl; stir until espresso powder dissolves.
Combine cream cheese, whipping cream, a tablespoon coffee liqueur mixture and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in another small bowl and whisk to blend.On two dessert plates, place one slice cake each. Brush each slice with 1/4 of Kahlúa mixture. Divide cheese mixture evenly and spread over each cake slice. Top each with remaining slices of cake. Brush each with remaining Kahlúa mixture. Sift cocoa over cakes. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to one day. (looks very posh, but dead easy, just as we promised)

Pancakes with chocolate sauce

Ingredients needed: PANCAKES: two eggs, one cup milk, one cup water, eight tablespoons flour. SAUCE: one cup water, two tablespoons sugar, ¼ bar dark chocolate, 1 tablespoon butter

Preparation: For pancakes, mix all the ingredients in a high bowl with electric mixer first on medium than on high (you should produce some foam). If the mixture is too thick, add some (little!) water, if it’s too runny, add an additional tablespoon of flour. Bake the pancakes in a slightly oiled large pan on a gas stove; you should come up with 10-15 pancakes.

To make the sauce, take a large pan and put it over low heat. Immediately put butter in, follow with chocolate and sugar, after 30 seconds add water. Mix constantly. When it starts to boil all over, it’s done. (there is no other desert like pancakes, not only are they easy to make, but you can stuff them with whatever you like)

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients needed: one teaspoon un-flavored gelatine, one tablespoon cold water, two tablespoons boiling water, half a cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, one cup cold whipping cream, one teaspoon vanilla extract.

Preparation: Put gelatine in cold water; let stand 1 minute to soften. Add boiling water; stir until gelatine is completely dissolved and mixture is clear. Cool slightly.

In small bowl, stir together sugar and cocoa; add whipping cream and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bottom of bowl occasionally, until mixture is stiff. Pour in gelatine mixture; bat until well blended. Spoon into serving dishes. Refrigerate about 30 minutes before serving (perfect to cool down after...and get energy for some more!)